


A Closeness

by gavreel



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-30
Updated: 2018-04-22
Packaged: 2019-02-24 07:33:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13208967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gavreel/pseuds/gavreel
Summary: and maybe we're all just looking for someone who cares enough to try. someone who has never had the best memory, but remembers the little things about you. someone who has always been a little shy, but opens up to you. someone who has never been good at keeping a conversation going, but can't shut up around you. we're not hoping to change them, no, just hoping to matter enough to them





	1. Bright Eyes

"Is it okay if we sit here too? This is our usual table. You don't have to move or anything." 

  


Gwen looked up at the voice, breaking her concentration from her the book in her hands. Standing to the side of the table were four other teenagers, all looking at her with questions on their faces. She looked between them and the empty spaces at the table, raising an eyebrow at the one she assumed spoke. 

  


"If it's your table then sit." And with that, she scooted over to the end of the bench and went back to _Frankenstein_. 

  


The four sat down, a group of two boys and two girls. The blonde sat down next to the red head and the two dark haired sat next to each other, the girl making sure their shoulders were touching. Gwen took a bite of her apple, making sure to bring her bag with her, making sure to give ample space between the broad shouldered red head next to her. "So what's your name? You're new right?"

She sighed inwardly and kept her finger on the page in her book as she looked back to the group. "I go by 'G'. I just moved here."

"Where did you move from? I'm Betty. This is Archie, that's Veronica, and Reggie." The blond tilted her head, keeping her attention on Gwen as she pointed to the red head, the dark haired girl then the boy in the order that she named them. "Out of state."

"Oh. What brings you and your family to Riverdale?"

"Are you always this talkative? Or is it the hair?"

"Oh, no. She's always this talkative. In fact, she doesn't know really when to shut up. I'm Cheryl." Gwen doggy eared her spot in the novel in her hand before looking to the other girl who spoke, raising an eyebrow. She had long red hair, and Gwen wasn't sure if she knew that the rest of the skirt of her black dress was still at the store. 

"Right. I'm sure there are several people that don't know when to shut up. I've been here three hours and I've already got a list. It goes alphabetically. Unfortunately there is no 'B' but there is certainly a 'C'." Gwen took another bite of the sour green apple in her grasp, wiping the juice that dripped from the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand, staring at the girl who introduced herself as Cheryl. 

"Funny. Very funny." Cheryl moved a step forward, leaning on her hands on the opposite side of the table from Gwen, tilting her head. "Thanks, I'll be here all year." Gwen kept her gaze even, meeting Cheryl's. The red head girl smirked before leaning up and walking away, tossing her hair over her shoulder as she left. 

Gwen sighed, rolling her neck before gathering her bag and her book, looking for a spot to disappear to, away from the group of people staring at her. "You guys are a regular teen drama." She stood, turning quickly to leave in the opposite direction of the Cheryl girl. On her way out of the cafeteria, she tossed her half eaten apple in the trash, heading towards the direction the library she passed on her way in the school this morning. 

  


Behind her, back at the table, the four friends looked at each other, unsure of what to make of what had just transpired. "Was she complimenting or insulting us?"

"Reggie, I think she was doing both. I think we have found a chaotic neutral in our midst." Veronica shrugged, taking a bite of the pizza off the tray in front of her. 

"Who's chaotic neutral?" Betty turned back around from looking at the spot where Gwen had disappeared, smiling at the new boy who sat down at their table. "There's a new girl at Riverdale, Jug."

"She simultaneously insulted Cheryl and the four of us at the same time."

"Good insult or bad insult? You've got to give me details Archie." The red haired male shook his head and laughed at his friend, filling in the beanie clad boy on the details of what had happened between the group, Cheryl and the new girl. Jughead looked over Archie's shoulder towards the door Gwen was said to have disappeared through, shrugging. "G?"

"That's what she told us. So what about a movie this weekend? I need a break from my mom." And with Veronica's suggestion, the five were off on another topic, leaving the girl in the back of their minds. 

  


  


  


Gwen sat and stared at the clock, counting down the seconds until she could leave. She sat off to the side of the classroom, the English teacher droning on, something about run on sentences and semi-colons and the proper uses. She wasn't quite sure how much longer they had left, but when the bell rang, catching her from her daze, she quickly shoved her books into her back. She stood, slinging it over her shoulders and leaving the room before anyone could ask her any questions. She had two of the friends that sat next to her at lunch in this class and she was determined not to have anymore altercations, deeming the one at lunch enough to last her a life time; and even that was too soon. 

Once in the hallway, she rushed to her locker, damning herself for already forgetting her combination pulling the paper with it on it from her pocket. She looked over her shoulder, spotting the blonde looking around the corridor, her posture straightening when she locked eyes with Gwen. Swearing again, Gwen focused back on her lock, trying to remember when to turn left, only to turn right. "Do you need some help?"

She froze at the voice to her right, looking out the corner of her eye, catching a boy in her peripheral. "Uh, yes, please." She fumbled, almost dropping the slip as she passed it to the voice, dropping her head down, slightly embarrassed. The boy stepped forward, almost immediately getting the lock undone, passing her back the piece of paper. She mumbled a "thanks" as she put it back in her pocket, sighing softly at the presence on her back. "Hi! I just wanted to uh, i guess say thank you for lunch today! You didn't have to stick up for me."

Gwen could feel her ears burning, "I wasn't sticking up for you, I just wanted her to go away. I suppose you're welcome though." She lifted her head some, turning to look at Betty who was smiling at her. She have a half smile before moving forward to grab her textbook from the locker, quickly closing the metal door, a little hard before turning and walking away, keeping her gaze on the light coming from the glass doors at the entrance of the school, trying to remember how to breathe properly. 

  


"Who was that?" Back at Gwens' locker, her lock still in hand, the boy looked down the hallway at her shrinking figure. 

"That, Jughead, was the new girl."

  


   



	2. Coastline

Two weeks later, Gwen found herself on a two hour car ride back from a win for the Riverdale Bulldogs, with none other than one Jughead Jones in the passenger seat, trying to figure out how on earth this could have happened. 

 

Thursday - one day before the game 

 

"Can I buy a ticket for the game tomorrow? Are there any left?" Gwen stood in front of the table outside of the principals office, holding a twenty dollar bill in her hand. 

"Yeah, there are a few left, just one?" She nodded, passing over her money, smiling as the girl gave her back her change and her ticket. Checking her watch, she decided she had enough time to go to her locker and put up the books she didn't need yet. Standing next to her locker, like she had been every day for the last week and a half was Betty, who surprisingly enough, wasn't as annoying as Gwen had first deemed her. "Good morning!"

"Good morning Betty, how are you today?" She asked with legitimate curiosity as she took the key to her lock from a pouch in her bag. She had given up on the combination lock, settling for the old fashioned key type instead. "I'm good. Are you going to the game tomorrow night?" Gwen nodded, taking out her chemistry and calculus books and putting them in her locker before closing it.

"I am. You're going to be there right? Archie is on the team isn't he?" She threw her bag over her shoulder as she and Betty walked to their first class, History, listening as Betty answered with a yes. "I'll be on the spirit bus though. I can see if there is still a spot open for you, if you want it of course. And you're welcome for the offer before you turn me down."

Gwen smiled, shaking her head. "Thank you for the offer, but i'll drive. Perks of my life, intermediate license." They continued their conversation, mostly just Betty talking and Gwen listening as they rounded the corner. The blonde girl smiled as she nearly bumped into a familiar favorite red head of hers, along side him, his best friend, whom Gwen did bump into. She held her hands out, steadying herself by placing them on Jughead's arms, as he did the same. "Are you okay?" She nodded, quickly letting go of him and stepping back from his embrace. "I'm okay. I'll catch you in class, Betty. Bye Archie." She didn't look up at Jughead as she walked past him, hurrying down the hallway to her class on the left at the end.

 

"Geez, Jug, what'd you do?"

"I don't know. I didn't do anything. She just doesn't like me." Jughead watched until she disappeared, turning his attention back to his friends. Archie shrugged as Betty bit her lip before doing the same. "Jug, are you sitting with me on the bus tomorrow? Veronica is part of the Vixens so she's getting to ride on her own bus." 

"Yeah, of course. I'd love to go to a mindless game and watch boys injure themselves for a ball." 

"That's the spirit." Archie laughed and gave Betty a peck on the cheek before the two boys left, sending Betty to her class. 

 

Gwen sat in the same seat she always did, closest to the window, fourth seat from the front. Betty sat next to her and Veronica sat in front of her. Betty's friend Kevin sat beside Veronica and a girl named Ethel sat in front of him. It only left a seat behind her to be sat in and a quiet straight A student took it to stay away from all the noise in the front of the classroom. Once the teacher walked in, everyone was silent, except for the scratching of pencils on paper and everyone collectively took notes. Unless it was Betty who was tossing a piece of folded paper on the corner of Gwen's desk before resuming her note taking.

 

Gwen looked up at the teacher, whose back was facing her, as she opened the note.

_Why don't you like Jughead?_

She looked up again, quickly scribbling back her answer, trying to keep her focus on the War of 1812 as she gave the note back, catching up on the few lines. 

_I don't not like him. I really only talk to you._

Betty frowned and left it alone as she paid attention back to the lesson, smoothly hiding the note as the teacher turned around to make sure everyone was on task.

 

Friday - at the game 

 

Gwen sat in the top row of the visitors stands, away from the rest of the crowd. She didn't stand and cheer, she didn't boo when the crowd did. She simply leaned back against the fence backing, reading a book as she listened to the noise of the game, occasionally looking up at the score, smiling to herself when she saw the Bulldogs winning. A few rows down and to the left of her, she could see Betty and Jughead, who accompanied by Kevin, stood and cheered on their friends, waving aimlessly at Veronica who stood on the sidelines. It was a Friday night Gwen would soon forget, as the final buzzer rang out, the scoreboard reflecting a win for the Bulldogs, 28-03. 

As the stands cleared out, Gwen stood, tucking her novel in her slouch bag before carefully heading down the stairs of the stands, careful to avoid the spit out gum and sunflower seeds left on the way down. There was a line at the gate as she expected, but she was in no hurry. A line meant everyone would load up and leave before her, giving her peace to head home without fans screaming in her ears or tapping on her car windows in excitement. 

What she didn't expect, was to see Jughead Jones sitting on the sidewalk after everyone had cleared out. She sighed, looking at her car just a few rows into the parking lot and back and the boy on the ground. "Jughead, are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I, uh, missed the spirit bus. I was in the bathroom. Why are you still here?"

She pointed to her car in the lot. "I drove...do you need a ride back? I have a passenger seat." Grabbing her keys from her bag, she looked back down at him, tilting her head. "I'm not going to leave you here because i'll never hear the end of it from Betty. So you can either ride with me or we'll sit out here in awkward silence and freeze." Jughead sighed, knowing she was right and stood up, gesturing for her to lead the way. 

 

It was silent for the first thirty minutes of the ride, until Jughead broke it. 

"You don't look like a football type person." 

Gwen looked out the corner of her eye. "Neither do you."

"Yeah but I have friends on the team and friends who wanted me to go. Why did you go?"

"It's not really something I care to discuss to someone who is going to go back and tell his group of friends so they can pretend to know me better."

"What is your problem? You know, they're honestly interested in you, in where your from. They want to get to know you."

"This is a small town, and everyone talks about everything." She put her focus back on the road, trying to ignore the boy in the seat next to her. 

Jughead sighed, trying to let it go and sit in silence for the rest of the ride. It didn't last long. "I have a sister, her name's Jellybean. She's ten and listens to Pink Floyd on vinyl. She lives with our mom, in Ohio."

"And why are you telling me this?"

"So you'll tell me something and actually know that i'm curious. I tell you something, maybe you'll return it. Like maybe what 'G' stands for?"

Gwen chewed on her bottom lip, flicking her eyes to the clock in her dashboard. Another hour and fifteen minutes at least before they made it back to the Riverdale city limits. "I moved from Fall City, Washington." She could see Jughead turn to look at her. "Across the country? Why did your parents do that?"

She shook her head. "I didn't move with my parents."

He tilted his head. "Your grandparents? Aunt? Sister? Who?" He kept asking as she shook her head no at each one. 

"I moved by myself."

"Why? And how?" Gwen sat silent for a moment, contemplating on if she should tell the story the boy she barely knew in her passenger seat, or if she should stay silent. She sighed, "My parents and my younger brother were killed in a car crash back home. And they were all I had. My younger brother, Noah, he played JV football. I went to every game. Except one, because I wanted to...I was hanging out with other people that night. The only game I ever missed, a truck t-boned them off of a bridge. So I was at the game tonight, because it reminds me of them. I feel close to them when I'm around all the noise and hussle and bussle from the game."

There was silence before Jughead spoke. "My dad, He's like the leader of a biker gang from the other side of the tracks back in Riverdale. The Southside Serpents. He was stealing from Archie's dad, his company. So Archie's dad fired him. And he kind of derailed from here. Drunk all the time, unreliable. My mom, she took my sister and they went to live with my grandparents in Ohio. I couch surf because I can't be in that home while he's like that."

"Two sides of the same coin."

 

 

There was silence for the majority of the rest of the ride home until Jughead's phone went off. "Betty? Yeah, I'm fine. I missed the bus. No, G gave me a ride. Yes, Yeah, we're okay. Bye."

"What happened there?" Jughead shrugged. 

"Different story for another time I think." Gwen nodded and followed the street signs until she got to Riverdale High. "Do you need a ride home? Or somewhere to stay?"

"No, Archie is still here, I'll ride with him and stay at his house. Thank you though. For the ride, and the offer." He smiled as he took off his seatbelt and climbed out of the car. Gwen watched as he walked away some before rolling the window down. "Hey, Jughead!" He paused and turned around. 

"It stands for Gwen."


	3. Waiting

It had been one month since the football game that connected Gwen with the group of five best friends. Betty had told Archie that Gwen had given Jughead a ride home, which immediately put her in his good graces. And once Veronica found out that Archie had Gwen in his good graces, suddenly Gwen found herself in Veronicas'. And of course, if Veronica was happy, so was Reggie. It was a strange twist of events but for some reason, Gwen didn't really care about the strangeness of it. She'd slowly made her way out of her shell, letting the group in instead of questioning everything they did; a habit made from events back in Washington. Well, at least she'd stopped questioning most of it.

"My mom wants all of you over for dinner." Gwen took a moment to look at the other four, judging their faces at Betty's statement, finding they all wore the same expression.

"She what?" Jughead rubbed his forehead as if his brain couldn't compute the words from his blond friends mouth.

"I mean, she knows Archie and Veronica and Jug, but she hasn't met Reggie and I keep talking about Gwen and she wants to meet the friend group as a whole?"

Gwen took a moment to assess the silence in the group, feeling the small sense of dread starting to creep its way from one body to the next. "What's so bad about that?"

"My mom is...."

"Crazy." Archie shrugged as Betty gave him a look. "You know I love you Betty, but she is." Betty tilted her head back and forth as if thinking about debating before nodding in agreement.

"I'm down for it. Tell her I'm coming Betty." Gwen looked back down to her book, ignoring the stares from her friends. "Count me in too B."

One by one the others agreed and Betty smiled. "Good, I'll see you all at 7." And with that she walked off, her ponytail bouncing as if in victory.

"Wait, tonight?" Gwen looked at the others with an eyebrow raised and they all shrugged. They all knew too well.

 

At 6 p.m., Gwen looked at her reflection in the still foggy mirror from her shower. The internal debate to curl or straighten the longer hair of her undercut had been raging for ten minutes and she shook her head as she plugged in her curling iron. She didn't generally wear makeup, priding herself in the "unconventional beauty" her mother boasted about so much but tonight called for the bare minimum. Mascara, eyeliner, lipgloss. As she focused on creating a small wing on her left eye she felt herself slip into her memories, watching her mother do her makeup.

_"Gwen, my dear, I envy you."_

_"Why?"_

_"Because you are so beautiful. You are so unconventionally beautiful."_

_"What do you even mean?" She laughed as her mom dug through her makeup bag, looking for an eyeshadow brush. "You take anything, and it looks good on you. The piercings, the no makeup, any time you change your hair, your style. You don't try, you just feel you. It's such a blessing to watch you, for your father and I to see you take anything you put your mind to and turn it into something beautiful. You don't fit the mold baby, you never have. And it makes me so proud to see you not care about it. You are gorgeous baby girl. Inside and out. And that boy better see it."_

The beeping from Gwen's curling iron and the knocking at her door broke her from her trance, both of her eyes done and lined, lashes coated. She set down the lipgloss and went to open the door, grabbing the flats she planned on wearing and putting them beside the door before opened it. Jughead turned from looking out at the road to her, raising an eyebrow. "Are you wearing makeup?"

"Hi, nice to see you too, please come in." Gwen smiled and rolled her eyes before opening the door wider and moving, allowing the boy to come in. Jughead scratched the back of his neck, laughing as he stepped in. "Are you ready?"

"Almost. You're early anyway. I have to finish my hair and I'll be ready. You can come sit and talk if you want, or you know where the couch is, whatever floats your boat." In the ever growing friendship she'd created, Jughead had stayed on her couch a total of four times in his couchsurfing journey.

"I'll come sit and talk." And with that he followed Gwen to the bathroom sitting on the edge of the bathtub as she parted her hair. Though he followed her, no talking commenced. Dermot Kennedy played softly through the speakers of the stereo that sat on her bathroom counter. Gwen focused on finishing the last few curls before turning the iron off and checking her phone. It was only 6:30 and she lived three blocks away from Betty's. She gave herself a once over before putting on a thin coat of gloss and turning to face Jughead. She took a moment to look him over, feeling a surprised look wiggle its way on to her face. He was in dark blue jeans and a dark grey long sleeve shirt. He had a light coat on over it and clean black converse were the footwear of choice. It was still his style, but not so rugged. She couldn't help but laugh.

"We almost match." Jughead smiled and shook his head as he joined in the sound. "You're right." She wore a pair of light blue jeans and a light grey blouse that was longer in the back. Her jacket was in the living room with her shoes. "I'm pretty sure you wore it better though. Ready?" He stood and bit down slightly on his bottom lip.

Gwen nodded and grabbed her jacket and slipped her shoes on as she walked past the items, patting her pocket for her phone and grabbing her keys from the hook. "Is it really cold or can we walk? Either way you're going to explain why you're making a chew toy of your bottom lip."

"We can walk. And I'm, I don't know, nervous for you? Betty's mom is conventional. She doesn't like Archie, thinks Veronica is a bad influence, when we dated she was constantly hoping for us to break up. She's controlling. You've never met her." They walked slowly, the air cool, but not daunting. Her shoulder brushed against him every so often as he explained and she tucked her hands in the pockets of her denim jacket. All too soon they were at the path that led to Betty's front door, Archie coming down from his own, waving at the two. "Veronica and Reggie are already there. You two ready?"

Gwen nodded as Jughead answered with a "yeah" before the three started up towards the door. Just before Gwen could knock, it opened and revealed a red cheeked Betty. "Hi guys, sorry, I've been running around to fix everything. Ronnie and Reg got here and suddenly the entire sitting room looked a disaster. Come in, you can hang your coats on the hooks in the hall. Archie will you lead them while I help my mom finish everything?" She leaned over and gave the red head a peck on the cheek before waiting for an answer and disappearing through a door on the right.

"No turning back now." Archie teased as he led the way, stopping to dispose of their coats as instructed. Gwen reached out for Jugheads wrist just before they went to join the others, suddenly overwhelmed. "You okay?"

"Yeah, just got nervous. I don't want her to have me as something to hold over Betty's head." Jughead grabbed the hand on his wrist and gave hers a squeeze before smiling softly at her. "You're going to be great. Just breathe for me, okay? We'll wait right here until you're ready."

Gwen stood for a minute, focusing on the warmth of the others hand against hers, breathing steadily. "I think you're the best friend someone could ask for Jughead Jones. Thank you. Let's do this." She returned the squeeze of his hand before letting it go, and the two of them heading into the sitting room.

Ronnie looked up and smiled at the pair. "You two look so cute! Look at you matching! I love your hair Gwen, oh my gosh come sit!" She patted the open spot next to her and Gwen moved towards it as Jughead went and sat next to Archie on the two seater. Ronnie, thankfully, controlled the conversation as they sat and waited. Gwen took a moment to look around the room, noting how similar it was to hers back in Washington. Cozy, but business ready for any occasion. She let her eyes wander before they settled on the dark haired boy across from her. He didn't have his beanie on, his hair brushed to the side. The area under his eyes was lightly puffy and dark, a sign of his poor sleep schedule. She felt her cheeks heat up as his green eyes met her blue ones. He smiled at her and winked playfully as he mouthed "busted". Before she could respond, Betty walked in with a grin on her own face.

"Dinners ready, are you guys?"


	4. Pining

Gwen sat at the oblong dinner table, Betty to the right of her, Jughead to the left, Veronica to the right of Jughead, Reggie next to her. Archie sat on the other side of Betty as Betty's mom, Alice and her father, Hal next to each other at the head of the table. They'd sat down 15 minutes ago, passed around each dish and helped themselves, everyone's plates loaded up. Gwen could feel the tension coming from both of the people beside her as the only noise at the table was the sound of silverware tapping plates. 

"So do you not get in trouble at school for having that ugly metal in your face?" Beside her, Betty nearly choked on a piece of asparagus. Gwen shook her head, finishing the bite in her mouth before answering properly, "no ma'am, I haven't gotten in trouble." She hadn't. The principal had looked at her pierced septum and philtrum and simply shrugged his shoulders and given her, her school schedule. 

"Hm. Your parents let you do that? I'd like to meet them. I'm curious as to their thoughts on it." From the corner of her eye, Gwen saw Jughead freeze. He hadn't told the others what she'd told him, so he was the only one she'd told about her family, the events that led her to the small town of Riverdale. Gwen sat her fork down and took a drink of her water as Jugheads hand found his way to her knee. "Well?" She held a finger to Mrs. Cooper, wiping her mouth with her napkin. 

"You'll have to travel to Fall City Cemetery in Fall City Washington, visit between the hours of 9am till dusk and look for Kathryn and Paxton Bates. You can ask them then. If you want you can spot Noah Bates right next to them and ask his opinion too. Excuse me." She set her napkin down on her plate before pushing her chair back from the table and getting up. She made her way down the hall to grab her coat. She could hear the voices in the dining room rising, could hear the scraping of chairs against the floor as one or a few people got up. She walked out the front door before breaking out in a sprint towards her house. She made it there much faster than the reverse trip only 30 minutes ago, climbed in her car and drove across town to Pop's. She needed to be alone, but she knew that the others would look for her at her house, whenever they started their search. 

As if on cue, her phone rang, Jugheads name and face flashing on the screen. She let it ring as she ordered fries and a chocolate milkshake. In the course it took for her to order, find a booth, get her food and get comfortable, she had at least one missed call from each of them, and several unopened text messages. She gave it five minutes before they found their way into Pop's and looked in the direction of their regular booth, they one they'd switched too after deciding that five people in a four seater just wasn't cutting it (the asymmetrical order of it was a bother to Ronnie), so they'd moved to the bigger round booth in the back right corner. 

She watched as Betty's name lit up on her screen again as she dipped a french fry into her milkshake. The bell on the door rang, and she looked up to find Reggie looking back at her. He had his phone to his ear and he spoke into it, no doubt informing Veronica he'd found Gwen. He made his way towards the booth and slid in next to Gwen, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her head against him. They sat in silence as Gwen continued to munch on her fries as her friends slowly piled into the restaurant, Veronica first, followed by Betty and Archie, lastly joined by Jughead. Funnily enough, she hadn't wanted to cry until he walked in, the fear on his face replaced by relief as he laid eyes on her, only to be overtaken by regret, no doubt about the events at Betty's. 

"Gwen..I'm so sorry. I didn't know she would be so...well, I hoped she wouldn't be. And your parents.. I'm so.." Betty's sentence trailed off as Gwen sat up, stirring her milkshake with the spoon she'd been given with it. "Noah was a freshman. That's my little brother. He was the starting center for the JV Wildcats at Mount Si High School. The last game of the season for his team was on a Thursday. The same day I wanted to go to the movies with this boy named Phillip. I checked with Noah four times, making sure it would be okay that I missed the last game, wanted to make sure he wouldn't be upset, that he wouldn't miss me when he looked up in the stands. He told me on the fourth time I asked him that if I asked again, he'd tell mom not to let me near the game so I wouldn't have a choice." Gwen paused, looking up at her friends, all who listened carefully. 

"So they leave for the game, and I waited for Phillip to pick me up to go to the theater. The movie we wanted to see was sold out, so I told Phillip we could reschedule. He insisted on us seeing something else when I suggested we could go see Noah play. I caved. Junior Varsity games are shorter than regular high school games, so when I got a call from my mom halfway through the movie, I just thought it was her letting me know they made it home. But then my dad called. And then Noah. And then my mom again. Then an unknown number. I left and went to call back my mom, and it went to voicemail. When the number I didn't know called again I answered it. There was this intersection we had. It was a bridge over a deep ditch, one they'd tried to pave but it didn't work so they built over it. My parents were stopped at the light just before the bridge. The light turned green. My dad drove forward, just enough to be in the middle of the railing. A diesel truck ran the red light, the cops said in his interrogation that he was drunk and would have drove off the bridge if he.." Gwen looked up, blinking back tears as her hands were grabbed. Reggie's arm was still against the booth behind her, Ronnie's hand on her knee. Archie was rubbing her shoulder with his hand, Betty had one hand, Jughead the other. None of them told her to stop, all of them knowing this was something she had to say, something she had to let out. "He hit them going 63 miles an hour on the drivers side, our little Honda Accord no match against his truck. The hit pushed them off the edge. The cops told me Noah and my dad died on impact, the drivers side. My mom made it to the hospital, and the cops came to pick me up from the movie theater. Phillip didn't even come out to check on me, I didn't hear from him until the next day to say thanks for bailing." Gwen shook her head.

"The officer who came to get me told me that my mom was rushed to the operating room. The cop took me around back to the ambulance entrance. I fell to my knees the second I got in the hospital. Hospital protocol requires ambulances to bring DOA patients to the hospital so a doctor can call time of death. I was still on the floor, the cop who drove me sitting next to me when the surgeon on call told me my mother coded on the table."

Her friends stayed silent as she stared at her hand in Jugheads. As Jughead brought her hand to his lips she spoke. "The courts deemed me coherent and responsible enough to stay the beneficiary on the life insurance plans. I got the college fund my parents had set aside for me and Noah. I put the house up for sale with help from my moms friend Linda. My parents talked about how they met in Riverdale. They were passing through on business, they weren't from here. They always said if Fall City wasn't the place they'd made home, they would have moved here. That's how I got here."

"What did your parents say about the piercings?" Gwen smiled as Veronica smacked Reggie, scolding him for asking. "No it's okay, don't fuss at him. I did my lip first, and my dad told me about how he used to have a labret, which is like mine but the bottom lip instead. He said he should get his done again so we can match." Bettys laughter was a wash of much needed energy and soon, the others joined in. "Noah said he wanted his nose pierced too because he wanted to look bad ass like me." With that, the group of friends were laughing loud enough that the other restaurant goers were looking in their direction. "My mom loved them. Always said they added to my beauty, not that I needed it." 

"Tell us about them? They sound like they were amazing." Gwen smiled at Archie and went into stories about her parents and her brother. Pop came by brought two baskets of fries, deeming them on the house before asking if they needed anything else. As he left, Gwen continued the stories, relishing in the mood and laughter that surrounded her. 

Too soon, Archie's phone rang, his dad calling him and telling him to come home. "Jughead are you staying with us tonight?" Jughead looked at Gwen then back at Archie before shaking his head, wordlessly explaining. With the talk of Archie leaving, soon everyone was standing. Veronica grabbed Gwen's hand and pulled her into a hug. Archie wrapped his arms around the two of them and Reggie pulled Betty into the hug too. Gwen looked over Ronnies shoulder, holding out her hand to Jughead, who smiled softly and took it in his own before joining the group hug. 

As they all pulled away, Betty took Gwens face in her hands, "Thank you for telling us. You're always welcome with us. We're family now, okay?" 

"Thank you Betty. Can I give any of you a ride home?" As the two couples shook their heads and explained they had other ways of getting home, Gwen nodded, told all of them to let her know when they made it home and headed outside towards her car. She stood and waited for the others to leave. As they did, she caught Jughead leaning against the side of the building. "Jug, come here." He kicked off the wall, and walked towards her, stopping just in front of her. She wrapped her arms around his torso and pressed her face against his chest. Immediately he wrapped his own around her waist, pulling her close against him. "Can I stay tonight?" 

"Please."

 

As Gwen pulled into her driveway and turned the car off, she leaned her head back against the head rest, suddenly tired, the events of the night catching up to her. She managed to pull herself out of her car, leaning against Jughead as she walked towards her door. She stood up straight as she unlocked the door, kicking her shoes off by the door and heading to the bathroom. She washed her face off and brushed her hair and teeth before going to her bedroom, changing into her pjs. She stepped back out to find Jughead sitting on the arm of the couch. He offered his hand and she took it, letting him pull her close. He brushed the hair out of her face, meeting her eyes before resting his forehead against hers. "Will you..I don't want to be alone.." 

Jughead slowly pulled back as he stood. Gwen kept his hand in hers as she led him to her room, only letting his hand go to climb under her covers. Jughead closed the door and kicked his shoes off, pulling off his jeans before getting in beside her. They moved towards each other in the middle of the bed, close enough to feel each others warmth, but not touching. 

As Gwen drifted off to sleep, Jughead pressed a kiss against her forehead, whispering softly before letting sleep take him over as well. 

"Your mother was right."


End file.
